Been on the Road So Long: The Anthology

AllMusic Review
by Steve Leggett

A key figure in the 1960s folk revival in Europe, Scotland's Alex Campbell is rumored to have recorded over a hundred albums and yet he was far from a household name during his thirty-year career, perhaps because he was first and foremost a song interpreter rather than a songwriter. A strong and measured singer, Campbell tackled countless traditional songs as well as championing the work of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Bert Jansch and many others, and his steadiness went a long way toward giving the folk revival a song base that looked to the future as well as the past. This set collects material from his mid-'60s stretch with Transatlantic Records, and includes fine versions of Jansch's "Been on the Road So Long" (plus an alternate performance of the song featuring Sandy Denny) as well as traditional fare like "Night Visiting Song" and "Bruton Town." Never flashy, but a solid and professional performer, Campbell deserves to be better known, and this collection makes for a fine introduction to his body of work.